


Sisters in pain

by Bl4ckHunter



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Fix-it to 4x05, Laurel gets a reality check, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 13:15:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20760959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bl4ckHunter/pseuds/Bl4ckHunter
Summary: One-shot story. Takes place in 4x05. Oliver makes Laurel realize the consequences of bringing Sara back to life and reflect on her own decisions instead of her blaming him for everything.





	Sisters in pain

**Author's Note:**

> Something I needed to let out after re-watching Season 4 of Arrow. I know there are already stories and one-shots covering this issue but I almost forgot how much infuriating the argument in the show was.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

"Did you know about Merlyn manipulating Thea into killing again?" Oliver demanded as he was with Laurel in the corridor. "What else I don't know about that you were doing behind my back, when you and Thea were in Nanda Parbat?"

"I didn't tell you that I took my sister because I knew that you wouldn't approve." Laurel sneered. "Why didn't you tell me you took Thea?"

"Don't try to spin this around, Laurel." Oliver retorted.

"You know, it's the hypocrisy that I can't stand." Laurel shot back. "It's OK for you to do whatever you have to do for your sister but it's not OK for me to do the same for mine?"

"Sara was dead. Thea wasn't." Oliver pointed out calmly.

"Then why didn't you tell me about Thea seven months ago?" Laurel demanded and Oliver paused, trying to think of an answer before she scoffed. "Because you don't see me as an equal."

Oliver glared but took a breath, calming down as she was walking past him. "Laurel, of course I see you as an equal."

"No, you don't!" Laurel snapped as she whirled on him. "You never have! You never told me that you were the Arrow…"

"Keep your voice down…" Oliver whispered.

"…you never approved of me becoming the Black Canary and you never would have told me that there's a way to save my sister."

Oliver grabbed her shoulder, having had enough of it. "Enough. You want to go there, fine. Just to remind you, you're not the only person I care about that I didn't tell about me being the Arrow and that wasn't because I didn't see you as an equal but because I was trying to protect you all.

Why didn't I approve of you being the Black Canary? Because you decided to take Sara's mantle because of grief and anger, not because you were trying to honor her and you were _nowhere_ as good as her, as much as you may have been trying to fool yourself into that you could be like her. The reason I didn't approve was because I didn't want to see you get yourself killed. And why didn't I tell you that there was a way to save Sara?" Oliver asked the question with significance in his tone. "Because my sister was not dead. Sara was. And Malcolm had warned me that there could be unpredicted consequences and you've seen how brutal and violent Thea has become and she was on verge of death, while Sara was dead and right now, she's on blood rampage. Knowing about her what you do now, would you put your sister through this? Because I would have second thoughts about Thea, if I knew this was going to happen.

The reason I put Thea into the pit wasn't only because I was trying to save her but if I didn't do it, Ra's would have targeted you, John, Felicity and other people I care about to force me to take his place. I was trying to protect you and everyone else. What's your excuse besides that you were trying to justify your own selfishness?"

Laurel stilled, the words stabbing her in the heart like icy dagger, realizing the implications of what she had done.

"Besides, if anyone doesn't treat someone like equal, it's you." Oliver added. "Last year, when Ra's almost killed me and I came back, you, John and Felicity acted like my superiors, even though I was the leader and you had a stick so far up your ass because you thought you were as good as Sara, simply because you were calling yourself the Black Canary and you barely respected me as a fighter or a friend, once I came back. And if anyone here is the hypocrite, it's you. Two years ago, I told you to stop blaming others for your own mistakes, like when you got fired and you blamed me and Sara for everything wrong that has happened since then and I had to pay the price because you're the one, who decided to keep a secret from your father that Sara had died and because of that, I almost got arrested and I lost Roy.

So, tell me, Laurel, who's the hypocrite here and whose fault it really is what Sara is doing? And how many people were you going to let die before you came clean?"

Laurel stilled, stunned at the implications of what she had done as Oliver gave her a disgusted look before he turned around and left her alone in the corridor to make her reflect on her own thoughts as the realization of her own faults slowly sank in.

* * *

After Laurel went for a coffee and cooled down as she was at Thea's room, Oliver approached her. "Look, Laurel, I'm sorry about earlier. I was out of line and…"

"No… you…" Laurel interrupted him as she looked at the wall and then down on the floor with shame in her eyes. "You were harsh, yeah… but I've been thinking about what you said and… you may have had a point there. I… did something reckless, when I didn't know what was going to happen, nor did I have any idea how to control it."

"Laurel…" Oliver sighed, not sure what to say.

"I guess I have more of my Dad in me than I had thought." Laurel said as Oliver put his hand on her shoulder, trying to assure her before they heard Thea scream and entered her room to see Sara choking her to death.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Laurel as a character but it's infuriating how she keeps blaming Oliver for her own mistakes, which were consequences of her own decisions, such as in Season 2, 2x13-14, where she blamed Oliver and Sara for her getting fired, when she had brought it on herself with the drugs and alcohol.
> 
> And her blaming Oliver for Sara's rampage in 4x05? Seriously? She should've gotten a bigger reality check.
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have enjoyed this one-shot.
> 
> With regards
> 
> Bl4ckHunter


End file.
